Another snippet from the #poem for #SummerSolstice + a #garden view. This applies very much to today, as well! #MondayVibes
https://cohanmagazine.blogspot.com/2023/06/summer-solstice-rain-sun-and.html
"Meanwhile, today, Rain Mother continues her gifts...
precious water trickles down through humus and soil,
gathers on the surface to foster new lives,
plants drink happily, expanding root and stem,
preparing more buds,
while pollinators wait for Saule to peek out once more
to dry their wings and resume their busyness."
#florespondence #Alberta

You might call this a #wild or #NaturalGarden : nothing in this spot was planted there: grass, thistles and other #weeds entered on their own, the Geranium pratense cv and Campanula about to flower to one side seeded themselves from several metres away, The Erigeron is native and after an initial seeding by me spreads (a bit too freely) around the gardens. Needs some work soon (else many planted things will disappear) but still a source of pleasure for me and sustenance for lots of #critters !

@cohanf It looks lovely with all the wild flowers. 😻

When I took over a garden 5–6 years ago it almost looked like a small park. It still looks far from natural, but we're slowly getting there. With a dry climate and sandy loam it is much easier to keep plants that are already comfortable with the climate and the soil. So every now and then I throw in some seeds that I have gathered here and there. If they establish themselves, fine, and if they don't it's also fine.

It seems all the neighbours have at least one cat each so sadly there is almost no birdlife in the garden, except for some doves that are munching the berries (?) on the long ivy-covered wall during the spring, plus an occasional sparrow. The number of insects (and grove snails!) have increased tremendously, though, it's such a joy.

Getting back to your garden: With the geranium, have you checked if there are females of the moth Psyche crasiorella sitting on relatively nearby broad-leaved plants? I have lots of G. sanguineum and G. pratense, and the Psyche feeds on those.

🔗 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psyche_crassiorella

🔗 https://www.naturbasen.dk/art/38274/roegfarvet-saekbaerer (in Danish, but with better photos)

@kas btw-- You probably know this, and may simply not want to use that method, but natural seed distribution (mimicked by braodcasting seed) *usually* results in very low germination rates- for one thing, seeds aren't sure to get water consistently when they need it. (also, many plants produce a lot of non-viable seeds).When there is a plant you'd really like to grow, results are much better if you sow seeds in pots or protected/controlled seed beds and take care until big enough to plant out--

@cohanf Thanks, you are right: the germination rate of broadcasted seeds is indeed very low, and it sounds like a good strategy to keep desired species in a small nursery for the first year.

@kas I've broadcast literal handfuls of local Castilleja seed in several places-- after years I have at least 1 plant...lol